Two past champions of Moomba take the lead after the first round
Words by Joshua Louder
It was Emma Sheers and Andy Mapple, after a few years break from this infamous tournament, taking the lead in womens and big dawg slalom. In the jump event it was the number one ranked woman and man, Marion Mathieu and Freddy Krueger, taking the number one seed going into the semi finals.
Local girl and a favourite here on the banks of the Yarra, Emma Sheers, went out early off the dock and put out the unbeatable score of 3.5@11.25m. It was the Canadian Whitney Mcclintock who almost chased down the Aussie with a score of 2.5@11.25m while Anais Amade took the 3rd seed going into the semi finals, 2@11.25m.
In this the second year the Big Dawg slalom competition it was a man who is very familiar with the Yarra river after winning several slalom titles, Andy Mapple, running the 10.75m line to take top honours after the first round.
Jump distances were a little lower than usual in the first round due to a challenging head current. Number one ranked skier on the elite rankings, Marion Mathieu, popped out a 50.1m leap to take 1st going into todays semi final. The United States Alex Lauretano was a metre behind here, 49.1m and 2011’s champion Jacinta ‘Rabbit’ Carroll was a bit further behind the lead with a 48.0m jump.
One of the biggest fields for mens jump took the water yesterday afternoon with 24 skiers. Last year’s overall champion Joel Wing was leading for most of the time with a 61.2m jump until the 2010 Champ Damian Sharman took the lead off him with a 62.0m. Fresh off his Australian Open win, Ryan Dodd took top spot with one skier left on the dock with a jump of 63.4m. It was world record holder Freddy Krueger who was head and shoulders above the competition with a 66.1m leap which gave him number one seed easily going into Sunday’s semi final.
Last night’s Night Jump event saw the Slovakian Martin Bartalsky take the cash with a 55.1m leap in the final. It was the Australian Joshua Louder who pushed him all the way with a 52.1m jump in the final. ‘Rabbit’ Carroll did extremely well being the only woman jumping in the night jump event and making the semi final last night with a 50+ metre jump, bigger than what she went in the day!
Today on the Yarra will be womens tricks, mens tricks, men slalom, womens jump semi final and big dawg slalom semi final.
Live results can be found on:  http://www.iwwfed-ea.org/competition.php?cc=T-13AUS318&page=live
Live webcast can be found on: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/moomba-masters-2013---melbourne
Joshua Louder

 

Joshua Briant and Erika Lang are Junior Moomba Champions

It was the two reining junior world overall champions who dominated Junior Moomba from start to finish. The American Erika Lang took out every event she skied in today winning girls trick and jump quite comfortably. The local hero Joshua Briant took out boys tricks easily and won the gold in boys jump after some tough competition from Taylor Garcia.
Lang tricked 8990 again in the 2nd round to take out the event by more than 7000 points combined. While the battle for the next two places were a lot closer with Kara Macintyre tricking 5050 which put her in 3rd place and Bianca Mulach scoring 5240 which gave her the silver medal.
It was much the same in the boys tricks with junior trick world champion Briant winning by over 6000 points combined tricking 9950 in the 2nd round. Aussie Tyce Zendler stood up his hand run to grab 2nd place (5230) while Taylor Garcia couldn’t match his first round score tricking 4380 giving him the bronze medal.
The favourite from the United States, Dane Mechler, lead from start to finish needing 1@11.25m in the 2nd round to take the win from South African Eamon Van Der Merwe who scored 2@11.25m again. Winning his first medal at a Junior Moomba was Craig Jeude who got the equal highest score in the 2nd round (2@11.25m) to get on the podium.
With 4 rounds of jump being run today it was always going to be tough to get through everyone in the time allocated. Congratuations to the rowers who didn’t damage the jump ramp overnight (obviously went to Specsavers). Due to the time restraints for the 2nd round of jump instead of dropping down the city end in between jumps they were spinning. This made conditions a little bit rollie but luckily it was low tide so it could have been much worse.
Erika Lang took the girl jump crown with a 36.5m in the 1st round and a 35.1m in the 2nd round. Aussie girl Teagan Burns took home silver with a best jump of 34.1m and American Kara Macintyre snatched 3rd place from Anthea Collicoat with a best jump of 30.1m.
There was just over one metre separating 1st from 3rd in the boys jump event. Briant was leading after the 1st round with a 50.6m leap but in the 2nd round Taylor Garcia got hold of a 52.9m jump which put the pressure on Kiwi Alex King and Briant. King fell short by 10cm jumping 51.2m to take 3rd while Briant took the win with a 52.0m pearler.
Lang almost scored the perfect overall score (2975) but this was more than enough to make her the Queen of the Junior Moomba Masters ahead of Kara Macintyre and Teagan Burns. Briant wasn’t too far off the perfect overall score either (2972.64) and he will be crowned King of Junior Moomba during the junior presentation on Saturday. He took the win ahead of his closest rival Taylor Garcia and fellow countryman Tyce Zendler.
That’s it for Junior Moomba for another year, another great tournament put on by the Victorian Water Ski Association. The main event starts tomorrow, The Moomba Masters International Invitational. Womens slalom will be the first cab off the rank at 8am tomorrow morning.
Joshua Louder

 

 

Video Footage of the 2011 event

Part One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N0zyndz2Bw

Part Two

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOiWrcPtKzc

Part Three

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgXayeZB6O0

Part Four

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8EuxZPIVMU

 

 

2011's Winners

Congratulations to 2011 Natique Moomba Masters Winners

Adam Sedlmajer - Overall Moomba Mens Champion

Anais Amande - Overall Moomba Womens Champion

Ryan Dodd - Open Mens Jump - George Birch Memorial Perpetual Trophy

Jacinta Carroll - Opne Women Jump

Aaron Larkin - Open Mens Slalom

Karen Truelove - Open Womens Slalom - Sue Fieldhouse Trophy

Jimmy Siemer - Open Mens Tricks

Natallia Bernikava - Open Women Tricks

Jacinta Carroll - for most Outstanding Performance by Australian Water Skier at Moomba - Max Kirwan Motorland Perpetual Trophy

Ryan Dodd - Night Jump winner